Seeing You Again*
by Shane West's Girl
Summary: Jack sees an old friend he hasn't seen for 5 years and when he sees her all grown up, he falls in love but then finds out she's engaged so she has to make a decision.....*My first fic so if it's really really bad, then you know why, just don't kill me for


As Jack lay on his bed, he thought of all the wonderful things that happened in Santa Fe 5 years ago. He met this little girl who was around the age of 12 and he was able to tell her anything. He was 16 or so and whenever he would go out, she was always behind him. It was like having a little sister. Sharing ideas, going on wild goose chases and just having fun. Being around her, Clare Anderson was her name, made him feel like a little kid again. He loved her very much, like family.  
  
    One day, as Jack was selling some papes, he saw this gorgeous girl, who looked like she was 17 years old and she had dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, with skin in the color of caramel. She looked Spanish and yet, she was dressed very fancy. As he walked up to her, her face became more familiar to him. It was as if he knew her.  
  
    "Good morning miss, would you like to buy a pape?" asked Jack in a polite voice.  
  
    "No thank you, have I met you before?" asked the lovely girl  
  
    "I'm not sure, but you look kind of familiar to me too. My name is Jack, Jack Kelly."  
  
    "I think I heard your name before," said the girl, " I have to go now, but I hope to see you again" said the girl  
  
    "Yes, I hope so too" smiled Jack  
  
  That night, Jack couldn't stop thinking of her. She was so gorgeous and had a Spanish accent that was just adorable. He told the newsies about her.  
  
    "I'm telling you, she's incredible. Soft skin, she smells like peaches. She's perfect!" said Jack all excited  
  
      "Jack, cowboy, don't get your hopes up on this girl. She might be taken or sumthin. I don't know, just don't get them up. Be careful." said Spec  
  
      "yeah yeah, i know, but c'mon, what's so bad of trying. I think it was love at first sight or sumthin. I dunno, but i sure feel sumthin for her."  
  
      After their little conversation of 'the girl', the fell asleep but Jack kept on thinking why that pretty girl looked so familiar to him. Her accent, her face, everything seemed as if he heard or saw before.  
  
      The next day, Jack went to Medda's and saw her sing as always. He was right there backstage with David, and as soon as he saw the audience, there she was. The girl he saw before, looking more gorgeous than ever. He just stared at her like if she was the only person in the audience. She was sitting alone, just admiring the way Medda sang, so Jack thought of going there and sit by her. He went up to her table and sat down.  
  
"Hey, remember me?" asked jack very happy.  
  
"Yes, I do, jack right? I used to have an old friend with the same name back in my hometown" said the girl  
  
"Yeah," said jack, " What's your name?" asked Jack  
  
"I'm Clare Anderson"  
  
At that moment, Jack was very still. He just stared at her and said,  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
Clare said, "Yeah…. are you okay?"  
  
"Don't you remember me? Jack Kelly? Santa Fe? We used to play together all the time!  
  
"Oh my gosh! Now I do! Oh my, you've really grown! How have you been?"  
  
"I've been alright, you know, the usual," laughed jack, "You've grown too, a lot! I remember you were only 12 years old and now you're what, 17?"  
  
"Yeah, 17, it's been 5 long years! You're 21 now, I think"  
  
"Yeah, I am…. So what brings you here in New York?" asked Jack  
  
"Well, I came to live here."  
  
"That's great! Now we cane bring back the old days."  
  
When Clare was about to ask him how his family was, Joshua, her fiancé, interrupted her.  
  
"Clare, darling, it's time to go," said Joshua  
  
"Okay…. Joshua, this is an old friend of mine, Jack Kelly, remember I've mentioned him before?"  
  
Joshua took his hand out to shake Jack's, "Yes of course, how do you do?"  
  
"I'm fine, thanks, and you?" asked Jack wondering what he had to do with Clare.  
  
"Good, good. Just here getting prepared to plan a wedding," laughed Joshua  
  
"Oh you two are getting married?" asked jack, trying not to show his disappointment.  
  
"Yes Jack, we are. We're suppose to be married in a month," said Clare.  
  
All Jack did was smile because if he talked anymore, he was afraid he would say something unnecessary.  
  
"Well, we must be leaving now, it was nice seeing you, maybe I'll see you again sometime," said Clare holding her fiancé's arm.  
  
"Yeah, sure, see you later," said Jack going backstage  
  
  
  
When Jack heard her saying that she was going to get married in a month, it really hurt him but he doesn't know why.  
  
~~~Jack's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Why do I care so much of her getting married? She's just an old friend who was like a sis to me. I know, tomorrow when I see her, I'll invite her to the park so we can talk and catch up on things. Yeah, that'll do it.  
  
The Next morning, Jack as usual got up, went to get the papes and began to sell.  
  
He kept on looking for Clare but didn't see her anywhere. Then out of nowhere, she came out of the carriage. She went in the shop so Jack ran across the street and followed her. He waited outside till she came out and when she did, Jack startled her.  
  
"Hey!" yelled out jack.  
  
"Oh gosh! You scared me!" said Clare laughing, "What are you up to?"  
  
"Oh nothing much, I was just wondering if you want to go eat or something" asked Jack  
  
"Well, sure, why not," said Clare giggling.  
  
They walked into Tibby's and grabbed a table. They ordered their food and then began to chat.  
  
"So your getting married huh? Asked Jack laughing  
  
"Yeah, I am," she said laughing, "father introduced him to me before and we just went out a couple times and then he purposed."  
  
"Oh………. Do you love him"?  
  
"Why do you ask that? If I'm marrying him, then I do, don't you think!"  
  
"It was just a question because you know girls usually get an arranged marriage."  
  
"Jack! Things change, and so have I."  
  
"Yeah I know," He said touching her chin, " and you look gorgeous!"  
  
"Thank you, you don't look bad yourself"  
  
After they finished eating, they went to the park for a walk.  
  
"Listen, Clare, I know your engaged and everything, but I just have to tell you this."  
  
"Tell me what?" asked Clare  
  
"When I saw you for the first time, all grown up, I felt something. Something not so normal."  
  
"Where is this going to Jack?"  
  
"To tell you the truth, I don't want you to get married. I honestly don't." Jack said holding her hand but then she pulled back.  
  
"You can't tell me that. Jack, why are you acting like this? You don't even know me. I've changed and so have you."  
  
"Clare, I love you! I think about you a lot since the day I saw you. I can't let you marry him! I just can't."  
  
"Well Jack, right now, I don't really care what you can or cannot do. Like I said, you don't even know how I act or how I feel right now. You can't say that you love me when you really don't. It's been five years that we've been separated and out of nowhere, you tell me this?"  
  
"I know you very well. I know everything about you! And I know your feelings and I know you don't love Joshua! You're just marrying him because your father arranged this wedding and because his money."  
  
At that time, Clare slapped Jack and left him there. He watched her run off thinking of all the things he blurted out to her. He knew inside that he loved her and that she felt the same for him only that she didn't want to admit it.  
  
It was getting dark outside and so Jack just decided to see Medda for advice. He walked into the theatre and to Medda's office but she wasn't there. He thought to himself that she probably went out or something so he decided to leave.  
  
He went back to the lodging but didn't feel like talking to any of the newsies. When he arrived, he went straight to bed and thought of all the reasons he should have never gotten so involved with Clare. At that time he wanted to hear her voice. Her sweet Spanish accent. He wanted to hold her in his arms and never let go but that was just not possible.  
  
~~~~Clare's POV~~~  
  
Oh my word, what am I going to do. I mean, Jack's right, I'm only marrying Joshua because my father wants me to. This wedding is arranged and all I'm marrying him for is his 40,000 a year. I feel so awful. I want Jack. Ever since the day I met him in Santa Fe, I completely fell in love with him. I never told him because I thought it wouldn't matter to him since I was much younger but now, what he told me today, I think if I tell him the truth, it won't matter. But there is no way anyone would accept this, especially my father because we're completely different people. I'm more of the like higher class and well he's lower but I don't care about it. Tomorrow, if he does find me, I will tell him the truth! I hope he still feels the same for me. I really hope he does.  
  
The next morning, Clare got up early, fixed herself and went downtown to see if Jack was around. When she saw one of the newsies, she called them over. He had a patch covering one eyes so it must have been kid blink because she remembered Jack telling her about him back in Santa Fe.  
  
"Hello, do you know where Jack Kelly is?" asked Clare very politely  
  
"Aw Jack, he's still getting his papes, if you make a right in this corner, you'll be able to catch him," explained Kid Blink  
  
"Thank you very much. Here's a 50 cents and take care"  
  
"Gee, thanks miss. You too."  
  
As Clare turned the corner, there, she saw Jack and began walking towards him.  
  
"Hey you. What's the news for today?" She asked Jack smiling at him  
  
"Well, I dunno, maybe you should buy one." He said smiling back.  
  
At that moment, Clare ran up to Jack and hugged him. She felt safe in his arms and Jack of course didn't want to let go of her.  
  
"Jack, you're right. I don't love him, I don't want to marry him and I don't want my father decided for me whom to marry. I love you very much ever since the day we met in Santa Fe. I know I was too young but I did understand love at that time you know." Said Clare staring into his eyes.  
  
Jack was speechless. He ran his fingers through her dark brown hair and told her "I love you too!"  
  
"But what about my father and Joshua and the whole wedding? What am I going to do?" said Clare worried  
  
"Don't worry about that. We'll run away together. Back to Santa Fe," said Jack laughing, "We can be together, we belong together! Our age doesn't matter. I may be 21 and you may be 17 but our love is what matters!"  
  
At that moment, Jack grabbed Clare and gave her a passionate kiss that they always dreamed of sharing. 


End file.
